


Freefall

by gingayellow



Category: Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-20
Updated: 2012-08-20
Packaged: 2017-11-12 14:37:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/492269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingayellow/pseuds/gingayellow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things were supposed to get better once Jin was rescued from hyperspace. Post-series AU, warning for health issues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Freefall

Title: Freefall  
Fandom: Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters  
Characters/Pairing: Iwasaki Ryuuji/Jin Masato  
Rating: PG-13  
Disclaimer: Not mine  
Warnings: Health issues  
Summary: For hc_bingo, prompt is 'fall from grace.' Liberal interpretation of the prompt.  
Notes: Post-series AU.

\--

Jin was only too aware that he was supposed to be resting. Everyone just loved to remind him of that particular fact. But it wasn’t like he was planning on going on a road trip, or even outside. He just wanted to see a few people at EMC. An hour at the most. Surely he could manage that by now.

With some effort, he grabbed the nightstand with one hand, which he used to steady himself as he eased out of bed. There were a few moments of flailing and teetering, but he managed to lurch to the wall, then creep his way to the door.

It was weird, moving in this dimension again. There was no friction to keep him from falling. He also hadn’t used his limbs properly in over a decade. But he’d make do. He always did.

He bedroom door was already open, so creeping to the living room wasn’t too difficult. Jin leaned heavily against the wall while he decided on what to help distract him from how it hurt to breathe here, let alone walk.

… His hair. He’d think about his hair, Jin decided as he prepared for the unassisted walk from the wall to his front door. He wished he had time to run a comb through said hair (or maybe put on some clean clothes), but they’d understand. They wanted to see him too, right? They were just worried about disturbing him. Well, he was totally gonna surprise them, and--

Jin let out a strangled cry as he walked two, then three steps alone. He almost managed a fourth, but his legs gave out from under him. He fell face first onto the floor.

“Dammit.”

The door swished open. “Sempai?!” Ryuuji’s tone was panicked as he knelt down next to him. “What’re you doing; I told you to rest!”

“Double dammit,” Jin replied eloquently. There was no way he was going to sneak out when Ryuuji was in mother hen mode-- and he’d been in said mode all the freaking time since Vaglass had been defeated.

Still, he didn’t resist as Ryuuji helped him into a sitting position. Not that he could have if he wanted to. “You know what the doctors said.” Ryuuji scooped him up with no real effort. “Your body requires time to heal. And as little stimuli as possible.”

Jin huffed even as he settled against Ryuuji’s chest. Might as well get comfortable. “You won’t even let me watch TV.”

“Remember what happened when we tried opening a window to let the light in? You had a headache for three hours.”

“Yeah, but…” Oh, why not tell him. When you were being held bridal style by a guy after half-fainting, there was really no point in acting tough anymore. “I wanna see Kei. And Kurorin. I even wanna see J.”

Ryuuji looked away even as they headed back to the damn bedroom. “Usami-san’s still in the hospital. Gorisaki and I are still repairing J-- it’s going to be a week until he’s online again.”

“Oh.”

“But Youko-chan’s with Usami-san, and she’s expected to make a full recovery. Seeing how she’s doing what she’s told, she’ll probably get out sooner than you.” Ryuuji sounded so light and affable that Jin would have smacked him, if he had the strength. “And Kuroki will visit us for dinner, if you’re up to it.”

… Okay, scratch the smacking bit. “Seriously?”

Ryuuji smiled, stepping into the tiny bathroom. “Seriously. Now let’s get you clean and fed.”

\--

Jin hated this most of all.

He was forty, like it or not. He had two degrees. He’d built a whole base in hyperspace, and he was Beet Freaking Buster. He’d saved himself, and countless others.

And after all that, he was sitting on a toilet, too damn weak to even draw himself a bath.

Ryuuji-- his kouhai, the kid who was supposed to have his own career and relationships and life at this point, was humming as he tested the bath water for an old man.

“Sempai, could you check and see if this is warm enough for you?”

With some effort, Jin stuck his fingers in the tub. “Yeah. Every bit as lukewarm as the doctor prescribed.” He eyed Ryuuji critically. “What about you? Aren’t you worried about overheating if the water’s too hot?” He looked fine, but you could never be too careful.

“I think I have testing your baths down to a science at this point.” Ryuuji held out a hand. “I’ll help you disrobe?”

Jin had no strength to speak as Ryuuji stripped him, then assisted him into the tub. He watched as Ryuuji wet/soaped up a wash cloth, and start working on his arms. “We’ll be done in no time, sempai.”

“Mm.” He wouldn’t admit it, but it did feel good to have warm, gentle hands on him. If it weren’t for the fact that it reminded him how weak and useless he was, Jin might have even enjoyed it. “Good. I’m sure you have better things to do than take care of me.”

“I can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing.” Ryuuji moved to Jin’s chest. “And you need me.”

Jin leaned back so Ryuuji could get to his legs more easily, closing his eyes. “How do you know that this isn’t just my evil scheme to seduce you?”

Ryuuji laughed softly as he worked in some (bland, boring, but apparently any decent brand was too much for Jin’s delicate senses right now) shampoo into his hair. “Sempai, if you were trying to seduce me, I’m sure you would do it in a classier way.”

“Humph.” Ryuuji’s hands were still warm and gentle as they worked at his scalp. “I’m old now. Maybe I just wanna get to the naked part before I die.”

“Sempai.” Ryuuji turned on the faucet to fill a plastic pitcher. “It’s just me. You don’t have to joke to cover up how you’re feeling.”

“I’m not…”

“Sempai.” Ryuuji cupped his chin. “I’m going to rinse your hair out, so head down and eyes shut.”

He was glad when the water hit his face. Ryuuji wouldn’t notice that he was crying.

\--

“Are you absolutely sure they won’t let me have pizza?”

“I checked. The answer’s still no.” Ryuuji handed him a meal bar. “You can have this, though. I know it’s not much, but I thought you might like the change--”

Jin was already halfway through it when Ryuuji stopped talking. It tasted like crap, but at least it was solid food. He finished it, licking his fingers while taking in Ryuuji’s surprise. He was a little surprised himself at the sudden burst of energy. But even after being babied all morning, between the bath and clean pajamas and knowing that he’d have Kurorin to tease in a few hours, he was feeling almost stable… so maybe it was time to say a few things. “Ryuuji, listen. I know you feel the need to protect me or whatever, especially after we… well, yeah, but you remember what I said when I first came back? About what you want to do?”

Ryuuji grimaced. “About that…” Jin was about to poke him, but then Ryuuji handed him a letter out of his bag.

Jin skimmed the letter… and then laughed breathlessly.

Ryuuji’s grimace was a smile now. “I’m only taking one class for now. In the morning, so I can still help you. As you recover, I’ll increase my course load accordingly.” He squeezed Jin’s hand. “Sempai, I can do both. Please don’t think you’re inconveniencing me.”

Dizzy from laughing, Jin fell over Ryuuji, his head resting in his kouhai’s lap. If he really wasn’t inconveniencing Ryuuji, might as well enjoy himself. “Well, then, I’m gonna take a nap before Kurorin gets here. I gotta get better so you can take more classes, right?”

“I would appreciate that.” He felt Ryuuji’s fingers in his hair again, and this time he simply enjoyed it.


End file.
